Their Truth #3

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“In other words, regardless of their age group, they are all looking at the same thing and breathing in the same flow of spirit power. However, just as our perception of things changes with age, the spiritual sensitivity of the forest's trees also differs by age. This discrepancy is important. I am having each of the three age groups build their own spirit power network and process information independently. Of course, the processing capacity of each group is one-third of what it was before, and at first glance, it seems completely meaningless, but—”
“—the differences in judgment that arise from the discrepancy in sensitivity between age groups bring coincidence to the surface.”
“Precisely. Even when given the dissonance of sensitivity discrepancies, the judgments made in common by all three groups are highly unlikely to be ‘meaningless coincidences.’ If we learn only from these as important matters, the will of the forest will eventually be able to make quick and flexible judgments.”
“Truth must be contained even within what is discarded as coincidence. Can you really achieve proper learning with such a method?”
“That is a task for the future, but I have already thought of a way to deal with it. I will further subdivide the groups. I had no time at all just now, so I could only manage to divide the judgment subjects into three, but I could divide them into ten, a hundred, or as many age groups as I like. If I have a hundred groups each perform processing, it will be possible to identify coincidences with great accuracy. Ironically, this is a strategy that only became possible because you conquered the royal capital and severed it from the spirit power network. It was impossible with the previous mechanism where the ghost bone structure of the royal capital centrally processed all the information obtained by countless trees. Eventually, they will likely acquire intelligence and judgment far superior to us mortals.”
“You... are you saying that you have literally created a god...!?”
“It is not that exaggerated. But don't you think it has become quite reliable as a guardian of the Elves? Look, the will of the forest is raising the pressure of its own Numinous Domain to resist the Purgatory Annihilation. It is a quick and accurate response. It is a speed of judgment that was unthinkable before.”
“Where is the guarantee that the will of the forest, having gained overwhelming intelligence, will continue to protect the Elves as it has until now...!?”
“Indeed. The future is unknown. But if we continue to maintain the current situation, ruin is inevitable. Yet, I cannot bear to make them abandon their kindness. Therefore, betting on an ‘unknown future’ is an extremely reasonable judgment. That said, I do not think it is such a bad gamble. Unlike us, the will of the forest does not have animalistic desires. It is not an animal, so that is natural. Therefore, there is no way a conflict of interest will occur at the same level as us, and even at the most pessimistic estimate, there is no worry that the forest and the Elves will become hostile to each other.”
“Is kindness that important!? Isn't that just weakness resulting from being pampered in a lukewarm environment!? Is pampering love!? If you are even a fraction of a human, you should understand! To live is to fight. By struggling while suffering in difficult situations, humans are constantly moving forward! Is it so wrong to wish for them to gain the same strength!?”
“...No, I do not think so. Your argument is likely one answer as well. I myself am not convinced of the correctness of my own actions. But, Gideon Darbervills. I believe that there is no such thing as an ‘ideal state’ for society. Regardless of the form, long-term survival and the happiness of its members are the only two criteria for evaluating a society. Happiness won as a result of one's own struggle and happiness given by a merciful god—there is no difference in value between these two. Whether one is happy is what is important, and emphasizing whether one has suffered is nothing more than making the means the end.”
“—No!”

Gideon pressed his head with a look of agony, yet he glared at Sojuro.

“You are right! But I cannot accept it!”

The handsome scholar nodded solemnly.

“...I see. What I am stating is merely logic. I believe I understand your opposition to some extent. By the way, Gideon. This may sound abrupt, but I have a past where I have traveled through three other worlds besides this one. And I have encountered various societies—but in no world, in no nation, in no community, and in no economic zone was there anything as stable and perfected as the Obscure Kingdom. This forest is truly, absolutely, a miraculously perfect utopia. It is a flower too rare and too beautiful to pluck. I like the warmth and cheerfulness of the Elven people. I have nothing but respect for the leisurely flow of time and the culture and cosmology rooted in it. That is why I wished to protect it.”
“I cannot accept a utopia that presupposes the tears of women. You and I are incompatible.”
“Is that so? It cannot be helped. On that note, I shall also proclaim the Truth. Everything I have stated at such length is merely my principles and arguments. There is one more reason why I stand here with such a brilliant will.”

Slowly, he unsheathed his Shin-in military sword.
And he said in a lower voice.

“You—you broke Finn-kun's heart, didn't you? You trampled on and killed that innocent soul, who suffered from the divergence between the path of life and salvation, without any mercy? I have a rough idea of what you said to him. —I cannot possibly forgive that. To have a friend hurt so cruelly, and to still forgive the opponent, is equivalent to losing my pride as a man of Yamato. I will make you regret this, vengeful spirit.”
“To think that a mere acquaintance of a month or so would bare its fangs at my hundreds of years of obsession. You’ve grown quite bold, young man. Good, that reason is more to my liking. Come. I shall test with this sword just how much your makeshift grudge is worth. My name is Gideon Darbervills! I am the calamity that will swallow your resentment!”
“—<Shin-in Detective> Nuebi Sojuro. I will settle here and now the incompetence of my own self, who could not save the small friend I met in this foreign land!”

The two took their stances.
The negotiations broke down.

●

Finn Impetus was facing a shadow on the shore of the lake surrounding the royal capital, Supervalk.
His cheeks tightened with tension involuntarily. He carefully set down Shirley, whom he had been carrying in a princess carry, and shielded her behind him.
A silver-haired boy was looking at him with gentle eyes. He was no longer wearing his white robe. He was wearing very modern clothes.
A gaze that was somehow clear.
His well-defined lips smiled softly.

“...Thank you, Princess Shirley.”

He felt the princess gasp behind him.

“You saved Finn-kun. Thank you. I am truly grateful.”

He sees right through me. What on earth is this abnormal power of his eyes?

“And Finn-kun. You’ve started to make a good face. You can laugh when you want to laugh, and cry when you want to cry. I am very happy that you have become like that.”
“Ah... um... I...”
“Yes?”
“I don't want to fight you...”
“Hehe, I feel exactly the same way. I am happy that you think of me that way, but it is sad.”

[To be continued]

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